


Revival and Restoration

by VicesVsVirtues



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: AU, Aged up characters, British Based, F/M, M/M, Rated E for a reason, Second Chance Romance, Swearing, background willex, sex scenes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:15:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28191531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VicesVsVirtues/pseuds/VicesVsVirtues
Summary: Luke has the worst job interview of his life, but things begin to look up when he and his ex, Julie, get stuck in an elevator together, giving them the chance to reconnect. When they’re freed, will they go back to their new lives apart or will their re-connection mean more?
Relationships: Alex Mercer/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Julie Molina/Luke Patterson
Comments: 26
Kudos: 125
Collections: Julie and the Phantoms Bang 2020





	Revival and Restoration

**Author's Note:**

> First off, a HUGE thank you to Marta (@vorfm95 here on AO3) for the amazing artwork. I absolutely adore it and I am in awe of your amazing talent. Please go and check her work out on Tumblr. [vorfm95](https://vorfm95.tumblr.com/)
> 
> You can check out the art here too [Here's the art!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28195296) Make sure you leave her some love!
> 
> Secondly, I've had to sit on this for forever (or so it feels) and I'm so excited to publish it, finally. I honestly hope you like it as I had so much fun writing it. I'm so nervous though. 
> 
> As mentioned, it's rated E for a reason, but I *think* it's tasteful. At least I hope so.

**__ **

**_8:00 a.m._ **

“Shit, shit, shit!” Luke sat bolt upright in bed, his alarm screaming from the bedside table. He should have been ready to leave over half an hour ago, but thanks to too much alcohol and a few nerve-calming blunts the night before, he’d slept through his alarm twice and was now running late. He climbed out of his bed, pulled the sleeveless shirt he’d crashed out in over his head in a practiced, smooth movement as he made his way into the tiny bathroom.

Moving through his morning routine at a speed he considered unnatural for so early in the morning, Luke decided to bypass a shower and settled for a quick wash, looking at his bloodshot eyes in the cracked mirror above the grimy bathroom sink. The redness highlighted the hazel that an ex, Julie, had once described as reminding her of ‘the flames on Hades’ head’ in the Disney film, _Hercules_ the day she kicked him out of her flat five years previously, claiming he loved beer and weed more than she loved her.

Splashing cool water on his warm skin and running his wet hands through his light brown hair, he pushed her out of his mind and finished washing before rushing back into his room to get dressed.

**_8:45 a.m._ **

Getting off the bus in Central London was like trying to complete an obstacle course, but as soon as Luke was free from the crowd; he jogged along the street until he reached the tall, glass-fronted building. Looking at his watch, Luke realised he was actually on time. With fifteen minutes until his interview, he had enough time to have a quick cigarette to calm his nerves. He leaned up against the wall, pulled his smokes out of his bag, and lit one.

Once finished, he took a deep breath and walked inside, heading straight to the large, curved reception desk that was strategically positioned in front of the bank of lifts.

“Can I help you?” The receptionist’s voice was nasally, and Luke could tell she was looking down her nose at him. His suit wasn’t designer, and his shoes could do with a polish if he was honest with himself, but it was the best he could do in the time he’d had.

“Hi. I have an interview with…” He rummaged through his bag, looking for the letter detailing his interview. “Oh, yeah; with a… Mrs. McNally of McNally Engineering.”

“Take the lift to the seventh floor, turn left, and follow the signs.” Before Luke could thank her, she turned away to answer the phone not once having looked him in the eye.

**_9:10 a.m._ **

“Unfortunately, Mrs. McNally has been delayed, so we will be starting the interviews without her.” A stern looking woman, jet black hair pulled back into a tight bun looked over her glasses at the fifteen people sat on pleather chairs in the waiting area. “Right, first up is Mr. Patterson; this way please.”

Luke stood, gathered his bag and the paperwork he’d been completing and followed the woman into a huge boardroom, the likes he had only ever seen in films and on American TV shows.

“Take a seat, Mr. Patterson.” The woman hadn’t even looked at him, much like the receptionist back in the lobby. If this was the way they greeted people at this company, he wasn’t sure he even wanted the job, despite needing it.

**_9:20 a.m._ **

Luke stood outside the building, his body feeling heavy after the worst interview in the world, ever. He’d tripped over his own foot as he walked into the large boardroom, almost crushing his face against the back of a large wooden chair. After reassuring the panel, minus Mrs. McNally who had apparently been delayed thanks to a personal matter, seated on the other side of the large, mahogany table that he was fine and could continue on with the interview process. It didn’t even last ten minutes.

Leaning against a low wall in the street, Luke sucked in a huge lungful of air in an attempt to calm himself down. It had been a while since he’d had a job interview, but ever since Julie dumped him for having no ambition, something sat at the back of his mind, something insistent enough to give him the kick up the backside to better himself. Four years later, with a degree in electrical engineering, he was finally moving forward in life, determined to prove the Julies of his past wrong about him.

Needing to calm himself down, Luke patted down the pockets of his suit looking for his cigarettes; suddenly realising he’d forgotten to pick his bag back up in his rush to leave the interview room.

“Shit!” Muttering to himself, he re-entered the building, and walked directly to the bank of lifts bypassing the reception desk. Tapping his foot, he waited for the lift to come down from the twentieth floor; impatience taking over made him move to the stairwell and jog up to the seventh floor. The last few interviewees were still waiting to be seen as Luke walked along the corridor to speak to the coordinator, struggling to catch his breath. He really needed to stop smoking.

“If you wait here, I’ll run in and pick up your bag in between candidates.” She told him once he’d explained his return.

“Sure.” Luke took a seat and pulled out his phone. Level 256 on Candy crush was killing him.

**_9:50 a.m._ **

Finally, the interview coordinator approached him, his beat-up messenger bag in her hand.

“Cheers, love.” Flashing the older woman a cheeky wink, Luke took his bag from her and walked over to the lift, hitting the call button with a flourish before continuing with the game on his phone as he waited. As he played, he hummed the last song he’d heard on the radio that morning.

With a _ding,_ the lift doors opened, and without looking up, Luke entered.

“Hold the lift!” A woman’s voice called out as the doors began to slide closed. A reflex action made him stick his foot out to prevent the doors closing fully, not taking his eyes from his phone. “Cheers.”

Luke looked up from his phone, and his mouth dropped open in shock. His ex, Julie, was stood less than a meter away from him.

“Lucas Patterson… well, you’re a sight for sore eyes.” Her brown eyes looked him up and down as she spoke. “I did wonder if it was you when I saw your name on the interview list.”

“Julie Molina, as I live and breathe.” Luke wasn’t quite sure how to react. He hoped he was discreet as he drew his eyes down her body, taking in the curves he’d once known so well.

“It’s Julie McNally now.” Her response was clipped, almost angry. “I got married three years ago.”

“Well, congratulations.” Luke wasn’t sure what else to say. He always knew her parents had wanted her to marry well and that they’d _hated_ the two of them being a couple. He’d always suspected they were the reason behind her ending things between them.

Before either of them could speak again, the lights flickered off and the lift came to a halt. Quickly, the emergency lighting kicked in and filled the lift with an orange glow, but the lift didn’t start moving.

“Oh fuck.” Julie’s voice was full of panic, reminding Luke of her fear of confined spaces. A bright light appeared as she tried to get a signal on her phone. “I knew I should have taken the stairs.” An angry huff escaped her as she rammed her phone back into her pocket.

“It’ll be okay, Jules, don’t let yourself get stressed out.” Luke kept his voice calm as he spoke to her, remembering how easily she could descend into a full-blown panic attack when she felt trapped. He’d been witness to them on countless of occasions and they had never been pleasant.

“I just want to speak to someone, get reassurance they’re trying to sort shit out.”

Hearing the panic in her voice rising, Luke slowly moved closer to her, and took her hand into his and gave it a quick squeeze in what he hoped was a reassuring way.

“Take some deep breaths while I get on the emergency phone.”

Julie slid to the floor and he could hear her working on regulating her breathing as he opened the door on the control panel and picked up the red handset.

:: ::

_Julie:_

Although the building panic attack was her main concern, the fact she was trapped in a lift with Luke Patterson, the only guy she’d ever truly loved. As he spoke to whoever was on the other end of the emergency phone, she took the chance to look at him. He’d bulked up a bit and it suited him. His hair was longer, but not too long. It still looked as if he’d been constantly running his fingers through it though.

It was his face she looked at the most. The face that had stayed with her for the last five years. His hazel eyes were bright, his skin was clear of the stubble he used to sport constantly, and his lips were still ridiculously pouty. Luke Patterson’s lips had been the envy of all her female friends back in the day. None of them had ever been able to achieve the same look, regardless of how many fillers they pumped into themselves.

Just seeing him thrust her mind back in time as she remembered what it like to have those lips on her skin, sucking and kissing their way across her entire body. She could feel a flush of heat work its way across her skin, making her panic rise slightly. Pushing the memories away, she attempted to concentrate on her breathing. It didn’t help that the tiny space around her was full Luke’s scent. Masculine, but not musky, with a hint of mint from the shower gel he’d always used. It had always been so reassuring to her, being enveloped in the aroma that was so distinctively Luke.

“The maintenance guys are on their way. Security couldn’t tell me how long it would take, so I’m afraid it’s just you and me, kid.” His smile was still infectious, his entire face lighting up, and the dimple in his cheek made her heart flutter.

“Thanks.” Immediately, her breathing began to regulate itself slightly and her heartrate slowed. Just hearing that someone was aware of their predicament made it easier to cope with. She just had to deal with the fact that she was trapped with her ex, the ex she left behind.

:: ::

**_10:20 a.m._ **

Knowing that people in the rest of the building were aware that they were stuck in the lift seemed to calm Julie down. Her breathing indicated she was more at ease now as the two of them sat side by side on the floor. The gap between them wide enough to prevent them from touching, but not wide enough to mask the perfume she always wore, the perfume he’d first bought for her four years before. The perfume he couldn’t even be in the vicinity of without his body betraying him in ways it shouldn’t do in public.

“So, as I said, I wondered if it was you when I saw your name on the list of interviewees.” She avoided looking at him as she spoke. “I kind of hoped it would be. I wanted it to be you so you could finally prove people wrong about you.” She smiled at him, her brown eyes looking down at her hands. Hands he could remember touching him, caressing him, stroking him.

“Oh, my lack of ambition and drive?” Keeping his tone light was tricky, but Luke managed it, judging by the small smile she wore. “Yeah, well. It was about time I kicked myself up the arse and did something with my life. In fact, I have you to thank for that.” He laughed as he spoke, something he was able to do now he had the power of hindsight.

“Me?” She turned to look at him, her green eyes wide with curiosity. “What did I do?”

“You dumped me for being a bum. It took me a year, but I eventually got into uni and worked damn hard to earn my degree.” Luke unashamedly looked her over once again, taking in the brown, hair that was sleeker and tamer than he remembered and the curvy body he had once known better than his own. Five years previously, she wore nothing but jeans and tank tops, but now it was covered by an expensive looking trouser suit. “I guess you ending things was the shock to the system I needed to get my act together, so yeah. Thanks for that.”

“Believe me, I don’t deserve any thanks.” The sadness in her voice surprised Luke and she didn’t make any eye contact with him.

“Sure you do. If you hadn’t blown up at me the way you did back then, I’d most likely still be sat on my shitty sofa drinking cheap beer and smoking crap weed.” He laughed lightly, bringing a small smile to her face.

“I doubt it. You’re smar,t Luke, always have been. You’d have figured stuff out eventually.”

The careful way she picked her words made him wonder if there was something she wasn’t telling him. Luke used to be able to read her so well, but now he couldn’t work out what she was thinking. Despite his rampant curiosity, he didn’t push her on it, God only knew how long they were going to be stuck and he didn’t want the situation to get any more awkward. It was bad enough being trapped in a confined space with his ex, regardless of how civil things were. And how much his memories were beginning to get the better of him. A change of subject was in order.

“So, tell me about all this.” he waved his hand around, indicating the entire building rather than just the lift. “How did you end up here?”

“Not long after we broke up, my landlord decided to sell the flat so I moved back in with my parents while I did night classes to boost my resume.”

Her parents had a huge swanky house in Kensington— Julie came from money and he’d often wondered if he’d been part of a rebellious phase, a bit of rough to piss daddy off until she was ready to settle down with someone from a similar background. “I met Alex at one of Mum’s charity dinners and we got on well straight away. Once I got all my secretarial qualifications, he got me a job here his father’s personal assistant; then, he proposed. We were married six months later.”

Luke was shocked. Back in the day, Julie had been so much more of a free spirit, not wanting to conform to what her parents had wanted her to be. She was the one who would more likely walk barefoot in the park after a night out listening to live music. She was the one who would wander through street markets, picking up bargains just because they looked pretty. She was the one who could throw an amazing house party with ten minutes notice. The Julie Molina he’d know lived in the moment, not to a rigid schedule.

“Whirlwind romance then? Or was it a shotgun wedding?” Luke teased her, but something flashed across her face that he was unable to decipher.

“Not exactly.”

“So, Alex. Does he work here too?” He was fascinated about this guy. Julie had never been someone to rush into things; or at least she hadn’t been. He must have been someone special for her to marry him so quickly.

“Not anymore.”

From experience, Luke could tell she was beginning to shut down from his questions but didn’t know how to stop it. There was clearly something upsetting her. Before he could ask her to elaborate, the emergency phone rang, making them both jump.

:: ::

_Julie:_

She knew she was starting to avoid his questions now they were reaching the subject of Alex, but she couldn’t help it. It wasn’t something she tended to share much with people, never mind someone she used to fuck and hadn’t seen in five years.

The distraction of the phone ringing came as a relief and as Luke stood up to answer it, she couldn’t help but admire him again. He’d always had a great body, but the extra bulk he seemed to be carrying looked good. She wondered what he looked like under his suit. When they’d been together, he’d only ever wore jeans with band shirts. He’d always cut the sleeves off, which she’d never complained about because he had gloriously attractive arms and shoulders.

As he spoke on the phone, Luke looked over at her and caught her blatantly checking him out. A slow smile spread across his face as her own heated up. His smile always had an effect on her, and it was almost reassuring things hadn’t changed that much.

Rather than maintain eye contact, she fumbled around in her bag again, checking to see if her phone had magically managed to get a signal. Nope.

After speaking on the phone for a few more minutes, Luke handed the call over to her. Clearly he wasn’t important enough and her surname got things done. Once they’d finished, they sat back down, the heat from his proximity overwhelming her immediately.

:: ::

**_11:00 a. m._ **

According to the maintenance guy, a power cut had made the lift break down and it was going to take the electricity company another hour or so to get the power back up and running. They offered to call the fire brigade to come and get them out but couldn’t guarantee how soon that would happen as neither of them were hurt or in need of immediate attention. Julie had taken over the call and told the maintenance guys to concentrate on getting the power back up and they’d be okay.

Her claustrophobia seemed to have completely gone away in the short time they’d been trapped. He couldn’t help but ask her how she’d managed to get it under control.

“I’ve learned to use breathing techniques to control it so it doesn’t spiral. Once I manage to calm myself down, I’m fine as long as nothing else happens.” She explained in response to his question. Back when they were a couple, she’d completely lose it, and had done on many an occasion. “It took speaking to a therapist to get me there, but it’s been the best thing I’ve ever done.”

“That’s great.” Luke hated small talk and wanted to ask more about her husband but didn’t know how to broach the subject again.

“Yeah, it’s thanks to Alex I guess.” There was that sadness again. “When he left me, I was in a bad place. Mum made me go and see said therapist who helped me deal with a lot of crap that had built up. The claustrophobia was the first thing to be dealt with and helped me deal with so much other stuff too.”

Luke remained quiet as he tried to work my way through what she’d told him. This guy had proposed to her five minutes after meeting her, yet he’d left her? The confusion was overwhelming and after a while, he couldn’t help himself. He needed to know what kind of idiot would leave Julie Fucking Molina.

“Wait, he _left_ you? After getting married so fast, how come he left you?” Luke’s mind was blown.

“He wasn’t happy with me.” There was no hurt in her voice. She spoke as if she were merely stating fact.

“Are you kidding me?” He couldn’t help but remember back to when they were a couple again. As much as he’d loved her, he knew, thanks to hindsight, he’d taken her for granted. Always assuming she’d just be there. Amongst all the good times they’d had, most of the time she was waiting around for him to actually do something. “Bloke must be crazy not to want to be with you. Either that or he’s gay.” He was joking, but from the look on her face, guessed that was the truth.

“Luke…”

“You married someone you knew was gay? Why would you do that?” He was astounded.

Tears rolled down Julie’s face, although she made no sound. Without thinking, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to his chest. A position they spent a lot of time in over the years, and it felt ridiculously natural, even after so long.

“It’s a long story.” She spoke almost too quietly for him to hear; almost.

“I think we have time, don’t you?” He indicated the lift around them.

Julie sighed and remained silent for a long time as she rested against Luke’s chest. Finally, she sighed again, sat up straight, and rubbed her hands over her face, not caring about ruining her make-up. Then, she began to speak.

“When I first met Alex, we were at a charity dinner raising money for a local children’s hospice where he and Mum volunteered a couple of days a week. I meant it when I said we got on well from the very beginning, and I knew he was gay the moment we got chatting. He’s not overtly camp or anything like that, in fact he’s quite subtle about it, but there was something. Naturally, I didn’t say anything about it, but when he asked if he could take me out to dinner, I was more than a bit surprised.”

Luke listened in silence and didn’t miss the fond smile that had replaced her tears. It was obvious she cared about this Alex a lot. He was conflicted because he couldn’t understand the guy leaving her, but Julie never seemed to trash talk him.

“Why did you agree to go out with him then?”

“Because when he asked, Mum’s face lit up. So did his dad who arrived at our table just at that precise moment. The pair of them were all for it, the whole matchmaking thing I guess. So, a couple of days later, he picked me up and we went to a quiet restaurant. I blatantly asked him if he was gay, and he admitted it.”

“Only you could be that blunt, love.” Luke chuckled, making Julie smile at him.

“I needed to know. Alex is one of those guys that you instantly like, and I couldn’t let myself get carried away without knowing.”

“Was he honest?” Luke was enthralled by Julie’s story. These sorts of things didn’t happen to people he knew, or so he thought.

“From the very beginning. He told me that he was in a relationship, but his parents completely disregarded his sexuality. ‘It was a phase’, or so they kept saying, and that he’d ‘had his fun’ and it was now time to settle down with a wife. Preserve the family name.”

“That’s disgusting.”

“It could have been a hell of a lot worse. They could have disowned him and kicked him out, but they didn’t. Yet, his dad said that he would if Al didn’t ‘grow up and assume his responsibilities within the family.’”

“What the hell does that mean?” Luke had read a lot of newspaper articles online about kids coming out to their families, and being kicked out, but this was a new take on it to him. This Alex’s parents obviously had an agenda.

“Well, his dad wanted him to give up helping down at the hospice and take a position here, the family company, and act like respectable. How a McNally is expected to behave. That included a wife, kids, and to be seen to be doing good without actually doing it.”

“That’s… that’s… Jesus. Was this bloke from the dark ages or something?” Luke couldn’t prevent his outburst.

“May as well have been. The McNally’s are what is considered as ‘old money’, and Al was expected to look and behave a certain way within their social circle.”

“Let me guess, that’s where you came into the picture?” Luke had an idea where this story was going but wanted confirmation.

“Bingo.”

:: ::

_Julie:_

She could see Luke was confused. And she didn’t blame him. It wasn’t the most straightforward of stories to tell, never mind to an ex-boyfriend. If she hadn’t lived it herself, she wasn’t sure she would understand why a woman would marry someone she knew she had no chance with. But living it was completely different. She loved the bones of Alex and would do anything for him. Knowing he would do the same for her gave her a warm feeling and a sense of security.

Telling Luke, or even seeing him, hadn’t been in her plans for the day even if she had hoped it _was_ him on the interview list. But plans had a habit of going awry whenever Luke Patterson was around.

Strangely, she wasn’t bothered by it happening again.

:: ::

**_11:40 a.m._ **

Luke was processing what Julie had told him. She’d continued on to tell him that Alex’s father had insisted that he get married in order to retain his trust fund when he turned twenty-five. A stipulation of the agreement was for him and his wife to have a child within the first two years of marriage. As long as Alex, as an only child, continued on the family name, he was then to free to live his live however he chose. Luke couldn’t help but feel disgusted on Alex’s behalf, and Julie’s.

“How could you go along with it? How was being married to a man who isn’t attracted to you better than being with me?” He’d asked, not really sure he wanted to know the truth. He didn’t want to believe Julie did it for money, it had never been her style before, and he couldn’t imagine it being so now.

“Before you ask, I didn’t do it for money. I did it because Al is such a wonderful man, I couldn’t _not_ help him. We came to an agreement that we would get married and play the happy couple— that bit was easy because we were friends, and we did, do love each other. It was the having a baby bit we struggled with.”

“Do you have a kid then?”

“Yes. And no.” That answer confused the hell out of Luke. More than anything, he wanted a cigarette. He’d managed to ignore the cravings up until now, but Julie’s story was stressing him out more and more.

“Before you carry on, I need a smoke. I know we’re inside and you don’t smoke, but at this moment in time, I couldn’t give a shit.” He rummaged through his bag and pulled out a packet of cigarettes and a lighter. “Hopefully, the power cut’s knocked out any alarms and sprinkler systems.” Julie laughed at his words.

Both of them waited to see if anything would happen after he lit up, when nothing did, Luke continued to smoke, relishing the nicotine buzz.

“What did you mean yes and no when I asked if you had a kid?”

“When Al and I had been married six months, his dad began to drop hints bigger than the Titanic about grandchildren. Alex actually had a panic attack one night because of it. It was horrible to watch him breaking down the way he did.”

“I can sympathise. Your panic attacks used to kill me.” Luke pulled Julie in closer to him, wrapping an arm around her shoulder gently..

“Up until then, I’d never understood how you felt. Thank you for being there for me.”

Unable to help himself, Luke pressed his lips to her forehead. He’d never really got over her and being this close to her without kissing her was getting harder as the minutes passed.

“No need to thank me. When you care deeply for someone, you just do what needs doing.”

“Well, thank you anyway; back to Al.” Julie smiled at him. “We tried to get out having kids for about another six months, but his dad was insistent it needed to happen. In this time, Alex’s relationship had broken up and he met someone— Willie was amazing and loved Al so much it was wonderful to see them together.”

“You mean…” He raised an eyebrow as a grin spread across his face a grin he knew would be salacious. Julie slapped his arm and laughed, the sound going straight to his cock which made him feel guilty. Julie was baring her soul to him, and he was getting horny. He clearly hadn’t change _that_ much.

“Not like that, perv. Just generally. They were perfect for each other, and so in love. Our house became a sanctuary for them both, as they could be themselves completely without having to worry about Al’s dad turning up. They were my best friends and whenever we went out together, which was pretty often, they would look out for me and make sure I was okay. It was like having two older brothers watching over me.”

“Sounds great.” Luke was sincere in his statement. Julie was the older of two children in the Molina family, but her brother had passed away from a childhood illness when he was only eleven, something she’d never got over.

“I knew that once Alex and I ended our marriage, he and Willie were going to move away from the UK in order to be together without any interference from his family. I supported them with all my heart, but to ensure they could, Alex and I needed to become parents.”

“Therein lies the rub I take it. How was that going to happen?”

“Thanks to his volunteering at the hospice, Al had contacts in the medical field. One of his friends, a Doctor in Harley Street, offered to artificially inseminate me. It’s common enough in the McNally circles. You’d be surprised how many of the marriages are fake for one reason or another, and kids are used as pawns. We would both be the child’s biological parents, but we’d agreed that Alex and Willie would raise the baby as their own. At least I knew this baby would be adored and well cared for by two of the best men I ever knew.”

“Essentially, you were a surrogate for them?”

“Yeah, and I was so happy to do it for them. I don’t know if you ever noticed, I’m not the most maternal of women. I love kids, but I never wanted any of my own.” Luke _had_ noticed that about her when they were a couple as their friends settled down and had babies. Julie had always been reluctant to hold any, even though she would buy the most extravagant presents for them. At the time, it didn’t bother him, he was too busy having a good time to become a father, but now… it wasn’t the worst idea.

“So, you had a baby, and they buggered off abroad?”

Before Julie could answer him, the overhead lights came back on, and the lift began to move.

**_12:15 p.m._ **

“Julie, are you okay?” An older man approached the two of them the moment the lift doors opened, revealing the lobby on the ground floor. Luke recognised her father, Ray Molina, instantly.

“Dad, I’m fine.” Despite her words, she fell into his embrace, a smile on her face. “Dad, you remember Lucas?” Father and daughter both turned to face him. Mr. Molina’s smile faltered slightly at the sight of him, his eyes raking his entire form, taking in the wrinkled suit.

“I do indeed. How good to see you again, Mr. Patterson.” He held out his hand for Luke to shake. “Thank you for looking after Julie for so long in the lift.” There was no gratitude to his voice. Mr. Molina never could be gracious to Luke when he’d earned it.

“Good to see you too, sir, and believe me. It was no chore. In fact, it’s been great to catch up with her.”

“Right. Well, I best get her home to relax.” Julie’s dad began to pull her away from Luke, but she disentangled herself from his grip and ran back over to him.

“Hey, I still have a few things to tell you. Meet me later tonight for a drink?”

“Sure. Do you remember the bar round the corner from my place?” A smile spread across her face.

“I certainly do. I’ll meet you there at six.” She quickly planted a kiss on his cheek and ran back over to follow her father out and into a waiting car. Luke let out a sigh.

He still loved Julie Molina.

:: ::

_Julie:_

Back in the sanctuary of the home she’d shared with Alex and Willie for almost three years, Julie sat on the sofa in her front room thinking about Luke. Of all the people to get stuck in a lift with, he wouldn’t have ever been her first choice, but in a weird way she was glad it had been him. Their relationship five years previously had been intense and _very_ physical.

Although they argued a lot, it was never too serious, until the end, and they’d always had the most amazing make-up sex; looking back, she wondered if that was why they often picked at one another. A good excuse to strip down in whichever room they were in, or even in the bathroom of the bar she was meeting him in later.

Luke had a way about him that made her body sing. He could bring her to orgasm during foreplay, then fuck another out of her, making her scream. She’d never been particularly vocal in bed until she’d met him. Even just thinking about it made her body feel warm and a tightening begin in her very core. She wasn’t celibate by any means, but her body was remembering the way Luke would play it like a musical instrument and the sensation was beginning to overtake her entire being.

Needing to calm down, she went up to her bedroom to strip off and shower. As the hot water pummelled her tight muscles, her mind wandered once more to the feel of Luke between her thighs, licking and sucking at her.

Without any kind of conscious thought, she cupped her breasts in her hands, pinching her nipples between her thumb and finger. Fizzles of electricity flowed directly to her core as she imagined Luke’s full lips sucking and teasing her swollen nipples.

Her head fell back against the slick tiles behind her as she dragged one hand down her body until she reached her pussy. She pushed a finger through her folds to circle her clit, imagining it was Luke’s tongue. As she pressed down, she could feel her orgasm building already. Not wanting to waste her climax, she inserted to fingers into her warm, wet depths, angling her hand to maintain contact with her clit using her thumb.

The orgasm that rocked through her, leaving her legs weak, was the strongest she’d had for as long as she could remember, and she knew it was because of Luke. Seeing him again, remembering him and how it felt when he worshiped had to put her mind and body into overdrive.

After finishing her shower, she considered not meeting up with him, of simply blowing the whole thing off, but she knew deep down she wouldn’t. Seeing him, talking to him, had awakened things within her she’d fought to keep deep and buried and she didn’t dislike it. Checking the time, she decided she needed to speak to Alex, get his advice.

:: ::

**_5.55 p.m._ **

Luke sat in a seat facing the door, waiting for Julie to arrive, nursing a bottle of beer. The entire afternoon he’d been a bundle of nerves, something he’d not experienced in a long time. To try and relax, he’d showered, changed into jeans and a cut off t-shirt, and rolled himself a joint. But he’d been unable to light it.

Eventually, after pacing around his flat, tidying up, he’d left to walk to the bar where he was meeting Julie. Being a Monday, it wasn’t very busy, and the music from the jukebox was a low buzz in the background. They’d be able to talk without having to shout at each other.

At six on the dot, Julie walked in, no longer in her work clothes. Instead, she wore skinny jeans, high heels, and a slouchy top. Luke had never seen her look so good and lifted his hand to wave her over.

“Hey.” He stood to greet her with a kiss on the cheek.

“Hi.”

It was ridiculous how uncomfortable they seemed with each other, as if they hadn’t spent over two hours trapped in a lift together.

“Do you still drink dry white?” He asked as she sat in the chair opposite him.

“I do, thanks.”

He could feel her gaze on his back as he walked over to the bar and waited to be served.

“Hey, Luke. Isn’t that the girl you used to be shacked up with?” Reggie, the owner, asked as he poured a large glass of wine.

“Yeah, that’s Julie. We bumped into each other earlier today, so decided it was a good time to have a catch up.”

“Fair enough, mate. She always was a looker, tell her this drink’s on me.” Luke took the glass and walked back over to Julie, who was tapping away on her phone.

“A drink from Reggie, welcoming you back to the bar.”

Julie smiled over at the older man behind the bar and raised her glass in a silent toast before taking a sip.

“That was nice of him.” For some reason, she wasn’t as talkative as she had been when they’d been trapped. Maybe it was because they could be overheard here.

“Everything okay Jules?”

“Yeah?” Luke didn’t believe her. “Did something happen after we got out of the lift?” If her dad had done or said anything, he’d march around there and give him the punch to the jaw that he’d always wanted to. And he wouldn’t ever be sorry for it.

“Not really. Dad was a bit shocked to see your face, and I guess… Oh, I don’t know. I just know I need this drink. Today’s been a day.” Luke watched her fiddle with her phone, avoiding eye contact with him. “I want to show you something.” She said, finally.

“Okay.”

Julie tapped her phone a couple of times before turning it round for him to see the screen. A picture of a gorgeous little girl was lit up, a huge smile on her face. Luke couldn’t help but notice how much she looked like Julie thanks to the curly hair.

“Is this…?”

“Yeah. She’s not long turned two.”

“Where is she?”

There was no sadness to Julie’s smile or voice as she began to speak, only pride.

“Al and Willie moved out to New Zealand eight months ago. They officially adopted her as a couple and immigrated as soon as everything was legal. When our divorce is finalised, they’ll be having a civil union ceremony.”

“This might sound crass, but what do you get out of all of this? I mean, you’ve given up parental rights to your daughter, and you’ve not got a husband.”

“I get to keep the McNally name. It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a door opener in London— if I want it to be.”

“Are you happy?” He really wanted to know. She didn’t sound particularly happy with what life had dealt her in the past few years.

“Funnily enough, Alex asked me that exact same question when I spoke to him this afternoon.”

“Oh?” His interest was piqued.

“I called him after Dad dropped me off at home. I needed his advice… about you.”

“Now you’ve got my attention.”

“Well… when Al and I first met, he said I always looked distracted about something. Asked if he needed to go and kick a guy’s arse for breaking my heart.”

“Right, okay. What’s that got to do with me?” She was the one who’d left him, shattering him in the process.

Julie sighed and took a large mouthful of her wine before speaking.

“I loved you so much back then, did you know that?” It wasn’t what Luke expected to hear say. He wasn’t sure _what_ he’d been waiting for if he thought about it properly.

“If I’m honest, I didn’t know then, but looking back, it’s glaringly obvious. I loved you too, even if I didn’t show it enough, which I know I didn’t.” Luke emphasised his words by taking hold of her hand across the table. “I realise now how much I took you for granted over those years we were together, and I’m sorry about that.” She smiled at him, a soft, but sad, look in her brown eyes.

“I’m the one who should be apologising. I’m the one with things to say sorry for.” Julie didn’t bother stopping the tears that had begun to roll down her face. “Luke, I need you to know that you meant the world to me, and I wasn’t with you just as a two fingered salute to my dad.”

Her words made him hold his breath for a second. He’d wondered that very thought on more than one occasion but had never verbalised it during any of their arguments.

“I admit, I did wonder.” He knew he could potentially be hurting her, but he needed to be honest with her. She’d been painfully open with him and lying to her would offend more than anything else. Regardless of how much the truth could hurt.

“It was obvious, but you need to know it was never true. I was only ever with you for _you_. If I’m honest, I fell in love with you that first night in this very bar.”

Both of them laughed as they conjured up memories of Luke, drunk as a skunk, dancing on the bar wearing nothing but a neon pink leotard and tutu – with bright green boxers underneath. He’d actually fallen off as he’d tried to climb down, and almost crushed Julie and her friend, Flynn. From the night on, they’d been inseparable and became “JulieandLuke”.

“You were just jealous of my lithe legs.” He couldn’t help but tease her, making her bark out a harsh laugh.

“Maybe I was, but it was _you_ that drew me in and captured my heart,” she paused for a moment to take a sip of her wine. “Your grip on it has never lessened in the last five years.”

Luke fell silent, processing her words. For five years, he’d forced himself to forget about her, to prevent himself spiralling out of control. All of that was undone the moment he’d clapped eyes on her in the lift, even before it broke down.

“What?” He needed to hear her say it.

“Luke, I’m still in love with you, I always have been.”

:: ::

_Julie:_

Alex had put her mind at ease, as he always did. He’d always been the one person who had been able to see a problem from all sides to find a solution. When she’d told him about her time in the lift with Luke, he’d asked her a simple question.

_“Do you still have feelings for him?”_

She hadn’t hesitated in her answer. Luke Patterson was her one that got away, through her own doing mostly, and she’d never been able to fully let go of him. Maybe she’d been looking back through rose-tinted glasses, but she couldn’t help it.

Alex had reassured her: now that she’d been married to someone in the right circles and provided a McNally heir, as crass as it sounded, she would free to live her life the way she wanted. Yeah, her dad would be pissed, but if it was what she wanted and made her happy, he’d have to get over it. She was a grown woman with her own home, a good job, and her dad would have to deal with her choices. If he didn’t, Alex would have a word with him. Alex, her protector, even from thousands of miles away.

Julie didn’t know what was going to happen when she met up with Luke, and it certainly wasn’t spilling her feelings before she’d even finished her first drink, but the moment she said it, her entire body felt lighter. That alone made her realise it was the right thing to do, at the right time.

**_7:30 p.m._ **

Luke kicked the door to his flat shut, never loosening his grip on Julie, their lips rediscovering each other’s. The moment they’d kissed, memories had assaulted him, and he was determined to never let her go once more.

After that first kiss, she’d gone on to tell him that her father had made her end their relationship. Luke was ‘the wrong sort’, and she needed to marry well in order to preserve the ‘Molina reputation’. She’d hated him for it, but had gone along with his demands— never completely sure why and always regretting it. Now was all that mattered, she was back in his arms and truly happy again. Unsure of how long it would last, she was determined to make the most of it.

Like a well-rehearsed dance routine, they moved through the flat into the bedroom, and collapsed onto the bed, a mess of limbs and shed clothing. Luke’s jeans fell to the floor with a thud as Julie threw hers across the room before pulling her top over her head. Immediately, he could see the changes in her body; she was still in great shape, but there was a softness to her that he couldn’t get enough of. The moment she was stood before him in just her underwear, Luke couldn’t help but stroke his fingertips across the exposed skin, making her eyelids flutter closed.

“You’re gorgeous.” His voice was almost a whisper as he wound an arm around her waist, pulling her flush against his body. Luke’s own bare skin felt as if it were on fire as Julie’s hands ghosted up the plains of his back to rest on his bare shoulders.

Unable to fight it, Luke smiled down at Julie as she stroked the skin leading up to his neck before scratching her nails against his scalp, just under his hair.

“You’re not too bad yourself, Patterson.” Standing up on her tiptoes, she crashed her lips to his, knocking him onto his back on his bed. With a laugh that rumbled through her entire body, Julie straddled his thighs as she reached behind her to unclip her bra. The moment her breasts spilled free from their confines, Luke leaned up from the bed and captured a rosy nipple between his lips, before teasing it with a soft nip of his teeth.

As Julie’s head flew back, he manoeuvred himself into a seated position, making sure Julie’s legs wrapped around his waist, pulling her so close he could feel the heat of her pussy against the bare skin of his stomach. His straining erection pushed against her curvy ass as she ground down into it. If she wasn’t careful, he was going to explode before they managed to do anything more than foreplay.

Pulling away from the nipple he’d sucked, licked, and nibbled into a swollen peak, Luke looked up into Julie’s brown eyes. They were hooded through lust and as he kissed her, he captured her glorious boobs in his hand, running the pads of his thumbs across her nipples. She’d always loved him doing it, and that clearly hadn’t changed in the past five years.

All he could feel or hear was her. The sounds she made in his mouth around his tongue, to the scent of her perfume. It was head and he needed more. He broke off the kiss, pulled his face away from hers, and grinned.

:: ::

_Julie:_

Her body was alight with lust and arousal. Luke had always known how to worship her body, and in their time apart, his technique had improved more than Julie had ever thought possible. Looking at the lazy grin on his face, she gasped as he pushed her back until she lay on the bed with him hovering over her.

“I’m only going to ask once before this goes any further. Are you sure you want to do this?” He asked her and her heart swelled at his concern. He’d always been that way and it was almost a reassurance he hadn’t changed.

“Luke, if you don’t make me come at least twice tonight, I’m leaving and never seeing you again.” She couldn’t help but tease. The growl that escaped from low in his throat sucked the air from her lungs and made her heart skip a beat. She’d never heard him make a noise like that before and it claimed a hotline direct to her clit as a small moan left her mouth. Looking into his eyes, she could see a hint of humour behind them. He knew exactly what he was doing to her and relished it.

Reaching between them, she stroked his thick erection through the tight boxers he still wore, making him hiss above her. She could stop the chuckle that slipped out of her mouth which was cut off when Luke hooked his thumbs into the waistband of her underwear and pulled them down her thighs, before placing himself between her legs, his hard cock pushing against her centre.

“Not laughing now, are you?” His voice had deepened farther, and it caused Julie to moan again. The sound made Luke’s eyes light up as he leaned down to pepper open mouth kisses on her breasts. The contact sent shocks of arousal through her body, which got stronger the lower down her body he moved. When his face was between her thighs, Julie thought she would come there and then when he licked at her slit, probing between her lips to circle her clit. Her hips bucked against his face, making him let loose a soft chuckle that she felt against her more than heard. The vibrations coupled with the way he was sucking and licking at her sent her entire body into overdrive.

The moment he slid a finger inside, she came undone. Screaming out his name as he pumped his finger into her, nibbling gently at her swollen and sensitive clit.

“Fuck, I forgot how loud you are when you come.” Luke’s voice was horse as he moved away from her, lifting himself onto his arms to hover above her, his chin glistening with her juices. Feeling her orgasm begin to wane, Julie grinned up at him.

“More like you forgot how much _you_ make me scream. You always did like the sound of your own name.” She couldn’t help tease as her body fought to gain control of her breathing and heartrate.

“Well, that too.” He locked his eyes onto her before lowering his head to kiss her. She could taste herself on his lips and tongue and couldn’t help moaning into his mouth. Needing air, Julie placed her hands against his hard chest and pushed him away from her. As he moved away from her, she shuffled out from under him and up onto her knees and continued to push him onto his back. Without any fuss or playing, she gripped his boxers and pulled them down his strong thighs and flung them, with a flourish, over her shoulder.

Breaking eye contact with him, she dragged her eyes down his body until she reached his swollen cock. As she licked her lips, Luke grasped hold of himself, stroking almost lazily from base to tip, running his thumb over the head. Julie watched him for a moment before moving his hand to his side, where she intertwined their fingers. Wrapping her hand around his erection, she circled her hand around the base, remembering how much he loved it before pulling it slowly upward, making sure she made contact with every inch of his cock.

“Fuck…” a litany of curse words fell from Luke’s mouth as his head fell back against the mattress beneath him, his eyes clenched closed. Julie continued to torture him with agonisingly slow strokes of his shaft before leaning over to wrap her mouth around him, taking him deep to the back of her throat.

Trying not to gag, she flattened her tongue against him as she sucked. Cheeks hollowed, a hum in the back of her throat as she stroked her finger along his perineum. It didn’t take long for her to feel the subtle jerk in her mouth which told her he was about to explode. Normally, she would pull away and let him coat his stomach, but not this time. This time she was going take what he gave her.

Streams of hot liquid hit the back of her throat and she could feel it dribbling out of her mouth, but she managed to swallow as much as she could as she continued to move her mouth over him until his climax came to an end. Letting his softening erection fall from her mouth, she placed a soft kiss on the tip before sitting up, wiping at her lips.

Leaning back on her heels, Julie should have been embarrassed about being naked in front of Luke, but as the flush of sex receded from his chest and throat, she found herself looking at his body in all its glory. As she’d guessed, he’d filled out, even gaining definition to his chest and arms. As she looked over his impressive pecs, she noticed a hint of ink. Leaning to the side, she took a closer look. It was a small butterfly with purple highlights on the wing.

“That’s new.” She stroked her fingertip across it, making him shudder.

“I got it about three years ago.”

“What does it mean?”

“I actually got it for you on the day I was accepted into university. You were the driving force behind me applying and making something of myself.”

“It’s pretty.” She bent over and placed a gentle kiss on it.

:: ::

As Julie’s lips made contact with his skin, Luke could feel his body reacting to her once more. As she moved to sit back up, he grabbed hold of her waist and pulled her up his body until she was straddling his hips. The moment her pussy made contact with his cock, he could feel it beginning to harden again.

Julie looked down at him, an eyebrow raised. Bracing himself against the mattress he pushed himself into a sitting position. As Julie wrapped her legs around his waist, he felt the heat of her pussy rub against his cock. Judging by the smug grin on her face, she’d done it on purpose and was enjoying his reaction.

“You did that on purpose,” he accused, a smile hinting at his lips. Rather than answer him, Julie moved her hips again, the friction against his erection making him moan out a hiss of pure arousal. “Do it again.” Julie laughed as she ground down into him. At that moment, all joking went out the window as Luke pulled her in for a kiss that completely took her breath away. This wasn’t a kiss of arousal, it was one Luke used to make Julie realise how much he still loved her, how much he’d always loved her.

It was an apology. For the last five years, for being a bit of a dick to her when they were together. He just hoped she knew what he was trying to convey.

Julie’s chest heaved with breathlessness as she pulled away. Something in her brown eyes told him she felt it, and he hoped he was reading things right when he saw his own feelings mirrored.

Julie placed her hands on Luke’s shoulders and lifted herself up. Luke panicked she was leaving. He wanted to grip her waist tighter, keep her body close to his, but he would never force her. If she wanted to leave, he would let her, no matter how much it hurt him.

She didn’t unwrap her legs from around his waist, didn’t climb off the bed, and she certainly didn’t leave. Instead, she used his shoulders as leverage to lift herself up, lined his cock at her entrance and sank down onto him. Luke couldn’t help but groan as he filled her completely, and for a moment neither of them moved as they both adjusted to the new sensations.

“Fuck me, Luke.” Julie murmured into his ear as she began to move against him. Her words and the way she was riding him were the spur he needed to shift their positions so he was hovering over her, pumping into her. He knew he wasn’t going to last long, but it didn’t matter. He was finally inside Julie Molina again, hearing her gasps and moans as he hitched her legs up so her calves rested against his shoulders, giving him a new angle to be able to hit her sweet spot with every thrust. “Harder, please.”

Not wanting to disappoint, Luke plants his hands on the metal headboard above Julie’s head and let go. Julie’s hands joined his on the frame as he pounded so hard, he heard the bed move across the wooden floor.

He could feel the layer of sweat covering his bare skin as the two of them moved at an almost frenetic pace, their eyes locked on one another’s. The look they shared was only broken when Julie’s eyes clamped closed as her orgasm seemingly ripped through her, another scream of his name escaping from between her lips. Watching her come undone made Luke’s own climax build faster and his rhythm was soon erratic as he finally reached his peak inside her, his head flung back, and a roar filling the air around them.

Gasping as he rode through his orgasm, Luke felt Julie watching him. When he looked down at her, he couldn’t help but lean down and capture her lips in a soft kiss. _I love you._ The words danced at the front of his mind, but he managed to stop himself saying them out loud the moment their lips were separated.

Carefully, he lowered Julie’s legs and withdrew from her. The moment he was free, he wanted to dive back in, but knew they both needed to get some sleep. Besides, morning sex was one of his favourite things ever.

“Wait there.” He climbed off the bed and walked into the bathroom where he had a quick wash before wetting a washcloth with warm water and taking it out to Julie where he gently helped her clean up. Once he was finished, he threw the cloth onto the floor and pulled her into his arms and covered them both with his duvet.

The scent of sex and arousal surrounded him, but all he cared about was the fact he once again had Julie in his embrace, her warm skin flush against his own as the pair of them drifted off to sleep.

**_1:25 a.m._ **

Moving carefully to avoid waking Luke up, Julie climbed out of bed and pulled on his discarded t-shirt, the gaping holes on the side not doing much to cover her naked body. Keeping her movements slow and measured so as not to wake Luke up, she walked into the kitchen, her phone in her hand.

Within minutes, she’d sent two texts.

_Daddy, I don’t care. I love him and I’m staying with him._

_Al, you were right. Thank you. I love you all._

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Revival and Restoration (ART)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28195296) by [vorfm95](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vorfm95/pseuds/vorfm95)




End file.
